The Colorado River Indian Tribes is receiving a $1.1 million investment from the Bureau of Reclamation to assess the Colorado River Indian Irrigation Project. The funding will help CRIT review existing infrastructure and identify necessary maintenance. It will also be used to identify potential opportunities to install new equipment and utilize updated technology.
“Irrigation systems on CRIT land need to be studied so that we can make the most efficient use of our water,” said CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores.
“This is the first step in a process to modernize an irrigation system that is essential for agriculture on CRIT lands,” said CRIT Councilmember Tommy Drennan.
“We appreciate the Colorado River Indian Tribe’s collaboration for many years on implementing its decreed water rights and the Water Resiliency Act,” said Acting Commissioner David Palumbo. “We look forward to utilizing this funding to further this partnership.”
The Department of Interior says it continues its commitment to Indian tribes in the Colorado River Basin, and it looks forward to continuing dialogue with tribes whose ancestral homes are in the Colorado River watershed.
Pictured left to right: Linnnea Melbye (Senior advisor to the Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner), CRIT Councilmember Tommy Drennan. CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores, Scott Cameron (Acting Asst. Secretary for Water and Science at the Dept. of Interior), Genevieve Johnson (Acting Regional Director BOR), David Palumbo (Acting Commissioner BOR), Dan Bunk (Colorado River Operations Manager BOR).
This assessment is intended to assist the Colorado River Indian Tribes as they evaluate a potential title transfer of the project in order to take direct ownership. This could allow for water leasing and provide opportunities to save water in the Colorado River Basin.
